North Yorkshire Moors Railway volunteer group 'effectively disbanded' following six-month suspension of work and ugly dispute with management

The accusations, revealed by The Yorkshire Post last month, were myriad and often bizarre – an official report published by the railway included details of a poster being defaced, locks superglued and keys removed. The volunteers at Levisham – who call themselves ‘Wombles’ – were alleged to have been illicitly charging fees for the use of a NYMR-owned cottage intended as overnight accommodation and to have carried out work on a turntable without permission.

There has subsequently been outcry, and several members of the railway, some of whom have been involved since the 1960s and 70s, when it was in the embryonic stages of the transition from a Beeching-mothballed mainline between Pickering and Whitby to the preserved railway it was to become, have contacted The Yorkshire Post to refute the allegations made by senior management. They speak of wider discontent and a culture clash between experienced enthusiasts and a corporate establishment which has come to dominate operations.

Fifty years ago, heritage railways were the domain of hobbyists, who in the early years had to re-lay lifted track, restore carriages, source locomotives and then operate services themselves, acting as driver, fireman, guard, signalman, stationmaster and more. Naturally, this state of affairs has evolved over time as health and safety restrictions and professional obligations have come to the fore. The NYMR is now run by paid staff, many with experience in the rail sector, with the support of a vast army of volunteers. It is a tourism behemoth within the North York Moors National Park, drawing in visitors who, for the past 15 years, have been able to travel all the way to Whitby, beyond the original Grosmont terminus, on steam trains thanks to an agreement with Network Rail that depends upon a commitment to modern safety standards.

So it perhaps unsurprising that the first generation of volunteers are now starting to drift away, some through ill health, others because they simply no longer relate to what the railway has become.

At Levisham, one life member with experience dating back to the 1970s said that the volunteer group has now effectively disbanded, as the mass suspension invoked in June has never been lifted. They have met socially since then, but most have not set foot on Levisham’s platforms since. The tearoom they ran is closed and access to the cottage they had enjoyed as grace-and-favour accommodation for 40 years has been revoked while renovations take place.

"Nobody from the NYMR has ever spoken to the wider volunteer group. There was no due diligence (before action was taken which resulted in the suspensions). Things have changed a lot and we feel there is an endgame, a bigger plan, but we don’t know what it is. It seems they just don’t want the group to exist any more. They set a trap and we fell into it.”

The source adds that the group – who were ‘hands on’ and completed numerous projects themselves – regularly reported their work to head office, and were not part of an ongoing dialogue advising them not to carry out certain jobs.

"There was no advice along the way, we were just left to carry on, then things came to a head and they suspended all work. We were given three days’ notice to vacate the cottage. The suspension was initially for a month, but we’ve heard nothing from the railway since then.”

Those familiar with the line may wonder why other volunteer groups at stations such as Goathland and Grosmont have not been targeted in the same way.

"They are not as large in number, and we worked differently – we did everything ourselves. We’d tackle the permanent way, anything really.”

The NYMR’s investigation report into Levisham, which was passed to The Yorkshire Post, confirmed that five volunteers had been either banned or ordered to retrain, but since its publication, a further two have been singled out and disciplined.

"One of the original five, who was accused of threatening behaviour, turned out to be a case of mistaken identity, so they banned another man instead – yet his suspension has never been lifted. The seventh was a woman who spoke passionately in defence of us at a meeting in September.

"As my work has been suspended, I consider myself effectively suspended. This isn’t just friction between one or two people on each side, it’s become railway policy to get rid of the group. The group is finished. Our blog has been taken offline, we’ve had to pass our donations account back to the railway under veiled threats of police involvement.

"It’s gone too far now. Quite a lot of the Wombles will just walk away. We don’t know what the future is for the station. The management will fix things that break, and they’ve been cutting the grass, but the weighbridge and tearoom are closed. It’s an attack on all of us.”

His concerns are echoed by a representative of the Levisham Station Group, who wrote to The Yorkshire Post following the publication of our original article in November. His letter was co-signed on behalf of all the suspended volunteers.

It read: “A forward plan of works has always been presented by the group to the management and agreed upon. For last 30 years any works we have done have only been done within this authorised plan.

“If the management had found fault in our actions why did they never discuss or even raise these concerns? None of the management team, senior or middle, have come to Levisham Station to discuss any concerns they had. To interpret their views we had to rely on emails - sent by us to them - which we have never received acknowledgements for, let alone replies to.

“As the report concludes, there are many issues that should be dealt with by the leadership and followed though.”

Two married couples who are part of the group also wrote to our editor, and have signed their names. Tony and Janice Leary and Malcolm and Doreen Townend have volunteered together for 17 years.

Their letter stated: “No discussions were ever held between management and the whole station group before these suspensions were made. If they had been then the problems could have been resolved and a way forward found.

"During our years of service we have found the whole of Levisham Station group to be friendly, supportive and caring – that is the main reason we kept volunteering there for 17 years. The station group have assisted other station groups with several projects over these years and been dedicated to the railway. Many other Levisham volunteers have decades of service to the railway without ever being told of any problems.”

A Yorkshire Post reader and supporter of NYMR from the Whitby area also contacted The Yorkshire Post to express his concerns. Ian Wilkin wrote: “I was shocked at the way these volunteers were treated by management and concerned that they were not given the opportunity to present their version of events. Most of the individuals who have been banned/suspended have no idea why this has happened and have had no opportunity discuss this with management.

"The issues here highlight a wider problem. Volunteers play a major role in the day to day running of this country, giving their time and expertise in a whole range of roles. Unlike employees, volunteers have no trade union representation and are not protected by employment legislation. This leaves them vulnerable to mistreatment and bullying by management and full-time employees.

"Reputations have been shredded, mental health issues have arisen, long-term friendships have been strained and police time is being wasted. These volunteers should remain innocent until sufficient evidence is provided to find them guilty.

"The current management regime at the railway seem to have forgotten that the railway was set up by volunteers in the late 1960s, with many of these people dedicating most of their life and spare time, over many years, making the railway what it is today. These newer staff have scrapped the original ethos which built the railway and are now scrapping the volunteers who helped to create it.

"The heritage steam railway is being transformed into a multi-million pound theme park with little regard for the original aims of the hard-working individuals who rescued it from oblivion in the late 1960s and early 70s.”

What does the North Yorkshire Moors Railway say it will do next?

When asked, the NYMR management’s spokesperson said it had ‘declined the offer’ from seven volunteers to work for two years, after which they can submit a renewed application.

A further meeting with the wider Levisham Station Group will be held in January, where an update on the work suspension is expected to be given.

The NYMR said that in future, volunteers at all stations will operate ‘within a framework agreed with their staff point of contact’.

The cottage that became the subject of dispute between the management and volunteers is currently being renovated, but will be available again to all ‘eligible’ volunteers in future.

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